Fascinating Things : Issue 35

More news bites from the side of the music industry which doesn’t get into the mainstream media……..

The launch event for the debut album by The Deadline Shakes has been announced. If you’re in Glasgow, or nearby, it is at St. Lukes, the “recently opened and beautifully restored Grade B listed building which showcases all the original features of what was originally St Luke’s Parish Church” on Sat 21st November. If you can’t make it, how about a live version of new single Frozen Out, shot in the Shakes’ “Den” where the album was recorded?

The band release a double A side single ‘Frozen Out / Sweeten the Deal’ on 22nd November. The debut album ‘Zealots’ is out Sunday 29th November on cd and digital via Scottish label Flowers In The Dustbin and has already been featured on the Aural Delights podcast.

Sydney’s kings of “power violence” Michael Crafter have just released a split live (with Frame 313) which you can download as pay what you want or grab a cassette for $(Aus)5. It is their 22nd release since their formation in 2009, and is stuffed full of the usual cocktail of metallic hardcore punk with a grindcore edge.

There are three new albums from the metal end of the Fascinating Things in-box this week:

“Intransigence” is the debut from San Antonio based death-metal band Abhorrent. The band features current and former members of Spawn Of Possession, Absurdist and The Faceless and was formed in 2007 by guitarist Marlon Friday and drummer Lyle Cooper. They released three-song demo in 2009 before a hiatus while members focused on other projects. In 2014, vocalist Nick Brown and bassist Erlend Caspersen joined and the band recorded the debut album. It’s a full on death metal spectacular and fans of the genre should be impressed.

In the same musical area, another progressive death metal supergroup is Contrarion who release “Polemic” on Willowtop. The band includes drummer George Kollias (Nile), guitarists Brian Mason (Sulaco) and Leon Macey (Mithras), vocalist Cody McConnell (Goemagot), and guitarist Jim Tasikas and bassist Ed Paulsen, both from the New York-based progressive metal fusion act Delirium Endeavor. It’s a 32 minute eight song blast of epic death metal.

The highlight of the trio is the excellent “One Foot In The Flesh Grave” by Wailin’ Storms released on Magic Bullet which features a fascinating mixture of doom punk and swamp rock. Again rolling in at 32 minutes (is this a new industry standard?) this seven song release manages to create a fresh new sound by combining several differing genres.

Wailin Storms (photograph by Mark Maya)

Manchester UK two piece “turbo-proggers” Cleft are going on tour next week with Vennart (ex-Oceansize) and Knifeworld. All three will be at The Deaf Institute in Manchester on 25th November. Go to their Bandcamp page and you can pick up digital versions all five of their releases to date for the ridiculous price of 74 pence! The band are currently working on their second album.